Cal Uses Huge Second Half Surge To Upset Number 24 Arizona State
LAS VEGAS, NEV— The California Golden Bears are heading back to the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament after upsetting the 24th ranked Arizona State Sun Devils, 71-67. Only a week ago, these same two teams met in in Tempe, Arizona where the Sun Devils crushed the Bears by 23 points. Today was a different story.
“Obviously we're super excited to be extending this journey,” said Cal Head Coach Charmin Smith. “It's just really special. We knew, if we could just stay together, that we could have more special moments, and this is definitely a special moment.”
In the first half Cal (12-18, 3-15 Pac-12) did not look like a team that just defeated 13th ranked Arizona only four days ago. Arizona State’s (20-11, 10-8 Pac-12) defense shut down Cal, holding them to just 12 and 9 points in the first and second quarters. Arizona State’s Robbi Ryan scored 7 out of her 14 points in the second quarter and Reili Richardson, who started at point-guard for Kiara Russel who was out with an injury, had 9 points by the end of the first half.
“Reili and Robbi are the only two players on our roster that have had any significant experience in a Sun Devil uniform going into this year,” said Arizona State Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne.
But in the second half things completely flipped upside down. Midway through the third quarter, coach Smith decided to bring the pressure to ASU with a full-court press.
Her gamble paid off.
The Golden Bears forced 7 turnovers and got freshmen guards Cailyn Cocker, (20 points and 6 rebounds) Jazlen Green (14 points and four steals) and senior forward Jaelyn Brown (22 points, 5 steals and 6 rebounds) into their groove.
“We don't want to go home,” Said Brown. “That would have been my last game here. I had to give it everything I had and just play for these guys next to me.”
Cal would finish the third on an 11-0 run and would take the lead 48-46 going into the fourth quarter.
The Golden Bears continued the full-court press into the fourth quarter extending their lead to eight with 2:51 remaining, but some late foul trouble by Green and Brown allowed the Sun Devils to climb back into the game.
With only a minute remaining in regulation the Bears lead was cut down to one, however Arizona State would foul Cal on their next three possessions giving the Bears 6 free points and putting the game out of reach.
“Just through a really, really challenging Pac-12 season, we have always stuck together,” said Coach Smith. “They have stayed committed to what I'm trying to get them to do and to this program.
Cal will be taking on the Arizona Wildcats on March 6 and will look to make it back to the semifinals for the first time since 2016.
